A computer-implemented method for topping up a mobile device account associated with a mobile device includes causing a wireless communication link to be established with the mobile device, receiving, via the wireless communication link, information indicative of identification of the mobile device, receiving information indicative of a desired payment associated with the mobile device account, and causing the desired payment to be applied to the mobile device account, at least in part by sending the information indicative of identification of the mobile device and the information indicative of the desired payment to one or more remote servers.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer-implemented method for topping up a mobile device account associated with a mobile device, the method comprising: causing, by one or more processors, a wireless communication link to be established with the mobile device while the mobile device is positioned within a faraday cage; receiving, by the one or more processors and via the wireless communication link, information indicative of identification of the mobile device; receiving, by the one or more processors, information indicative of a desired payment associated with the mobile device account; and causing, by the one or more processors, the desired payment to be applied to the mobile device account, at least in part by sending the information indicative of identification of the mobile device and the information indicative of the desired payment to one or more remote servers.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the desired payment to be applied to the mobile device account includes: sending the information indicative of identification of the mobile device to a first remote server of the one or more remote servers; in response to sending the information indicative of identification, receiving an account identifier associated with the mobile device account; and sending (i) the information indicative of the desired payment and (ii) the account identifier to a second remote server of the one or more remote servers.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the information indicative of identification comprises receiving one or both of (i) an international mobile station equipment identity and (ii) an international mobile subscriber identity.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the information indicative of the desired payment comprises determining that a particular amount of cash has been physically deposited.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing, by the one or more processors, a graphical user interface, wherein receiving the information indicative of the desired payment includes determining that a user has indicated a particular payment amount via the graphical user interface.
6. An apparatus for topping up a mobile device account associated with a mobile device, the apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a faraday cage, wherein the faraday cage comprises a drawer for receiving the mobile device; one or more antennas at least partially disposed within the faraday cage; a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more antennas; a display coupled to the housing and configured to receive a user input; one or more processors communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and the one or more imaging devices, wherein the one or more processors are configured to (i) use the wireless transceiver to establish a wireless communication link with the mobile device while the mobile device is positioned within the drawer, (ii) receive, by the one or more processors and via the wireless communication link, information indicative of identification of the mobile device, (iii) receive, by the one or more processors, information indicative of a desired payment associated with the mobile device account, (iv) cause the desired payment to be applied to the mobile device account, at least in part by sending the information indicative of identification of the mobile device and the information indicative of the desired payment to one or more remote servers, and (v) use the display to provide a notification that the desired payment has been applied to the mobile device account.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising: a payment acceptor coupled to the housing and configured for receiving the desired payment, wherein the payment acceptor is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the payment acceptor is configured to receive the desired payment in the form of one or more of (i) paper currency, (ii) coins, and (iii) a printed voucher.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the payment acceptor is configured to receive the desired payment via one or more of (i) a credit card and (ii) a debit card.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the information indicative of identification comprises an international mobile station equipment identity.
11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the information indicative of identification comprises an international mobile subscriber identity.
12. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the mobile device account based on the received information indicative of identification.
13. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to: use a wireless transceiver of the apparatus to establish a wireless communication link with a mobile device while the mobile device is positioned within a drawer of the apparatus, wherein the mobile device is associated with a mobile device account, and wherein a housing of the apparatus forms a faraday cage when the drawer is closed; receive, by the one or more processors and via the wireless communication link, information indicative of identification of the mobile device; receive, by the one or more processors, information indicative of a desired payment associated with the mobile device account; cause the desired payment to be applied to the mobile device account, at least in part by sending the information indicative of identification of the mobile device and the information indicative of the desired payment to one or more remote servers; and use a display of the apparatus to provide a notification that the desired payment has been applied to the mobile device account.
14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: detect when the desired payment has been received via a payment acceptor of the apparatus.
15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: detect when one or more of (i) paper currency, (ii) coins, and (iii) a printed voucher, is received via the payment acceptor.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: detect when one or more of (i) a credit card, and (ii) a debit card, is received via the payment acceptor.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the information indicative of identification comprises an international mobile station equipment identity.
18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the information indicative of identification comprises an international mobile subscriber identity.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: determine the mobile device account based on the received information indicative of identification.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 1, 2017
August 7, 2018
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